Electronic pipe personal vaporizer with concealed removable atomizer/ cartomizer

ABSTRACT

A porous ceramic atomized cartridge contains a heating element, a porous ceramic wick, and the liquid to be vaporized removably concealed within the body of an electronic simulated smoking pipe. Adjustment of the spacing of a circular disc heating element relative to the porous ceramic wick adjusts the level of atomization. All components are easily removable and replaceable and cleaned. A bowl of the pipe is used as an open battery chamber to allow any battery fumes to escape and allow easy removal and replacement of the battery. A conductive contact arm pivots between contact with the battery and the pipe body to control power. Vapor is activated by a manual push button switch or an automatic sound activated switch responsive to the puffing sound of a user.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present utility patent application claims the advantage ofapplicant's provisional patent application.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not Applicable.

THE NAMES OF THE PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not Applicable.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to electronic smoking-substitute devicesand in particular to a porous ceramic atomized cartridge electronic piperelating to electronic cigarettes, cigars, and pipes which allow theuser of the device to inhale a flavored vapor which may be comprised ofnicotine or other substance without a flame or smoke.

2. Description of Related Art including information disclosed under 37CFR 1.97 and 1.98

Conventional smoking devices function by burning tobacco with an openexposed flame and are known to be a health and safety hazard. The smokeinhaled from burning tobacco is composed from tar and other substancesthat are proven to cause life debilitating and life threatening diseasessuch cancer to the user and by a third party that may be present in aclosed environment like public facilities, bars, restaurants, and workplace.

The act of smoking includes a physical sensation produced by the act ofinhaling and also by a “hand to mouth” reflex associated with taking thecigarette or pipe to the mouth in order to drag out of it and inhale thesmoke. For tobacco smokers not smoking can produce unpleasant anddramatic psychological and physiological symptoms.

To address this issue, prior art smoking substitute devices have beendeveloped to create as close as possible sensation of smoking withoutthe negative consequences of open flame tobacco smoking and smokeinhalation. Some of the devices that have been successful smokingsubstitutes are electronic vaporizers also known as electroniccigarettes and electronic cigars.

Electronic smoking devices are battery operated units that are generallycomposed of three components: the battery, the atomizing/vaporizingunit, and a cartridge containing the electronic cigarette liquid. Theelectronic cigarette liquid is generally composed of water propyleneglycol or vegetable glycerin, a flavoring essence, and it may or may notcontain nicotine.

The atomizer, when activated vaporizes the liquid is in contact with aheating coil element. The cartridge contains a wicking material soakedin the liquid to be vaporized. A newer generation of electroniccigarettes combines the vaporizer and cartridge in a single unit reasonfor which is suggestively named “Atomized Cartridge” or “Cartomizer”.

The Cartomizer is a metallic tube that contains a plastic fiber or paperuses as a wick a fiberglass tube which wraps around a wire heating coil.When the cartridge is filled with liquid the heat produced by the coilvaporizes the liquid. When the cartridge is empty or with a low level ofliquid the coil will start to burn the fiberglass tube and the wickingmaterial in it immediate vicinity of the coil producing toxic fumes.

In different configurations electronic smoking devices can closelyresemble real cigarettes, and cigars.

Electronic cigarettes and cigars are activated by automatic draw ormanual push button.

Prior art electronic pipes use a battery, an atomizer, (permanentlyfixed inside the main body of the pipe) and a reservoir for liquid to bevaporized. The prior art electronic pipe cannot be used while thebattery is charging. If prior art atomizer is damaged or fails the pipecannot be repaired and becomes unusable. A new pipe body with a build inatomizer has to be purchased. This prior art type of electronic pipewith a liquid reservoir leaks fluid inside and outside of the body ofthe pipe. It is an unreliable design and expensive to maintain. None ofthe prior art devices conceal the atomizer cartridge or provide safetyswitches and are susceptible to accidental activation in a pocket of auser.

Prior art pipes use a plastic cap with a metal border that is screwed tothe top of the battery chamber. Prior art does not have any pressurerelive space In case the battery fails. The rapid expending gas from thefailed battery can create a pressure that can rapidly build up toinstant shatter of the plastic cap and transform it in plastic shrapnelthat can be very dangerous to the user.

Prior art devices may not be used while recharging the batteries and thebatteries are not replaceable.

What is needed is a substitute smoking device which conceals theatomizer or cartomizer cartridge within the substitute smoking device,which has a safety lock switch to prevent accidental activation, whichhas no flammable components adjacent to the heating element therebypreventing toxic smoke, which has an open chamber housing the battery torelease gases, which has means for charging the battery while the deviceis in use, which has separable components housing removable andreplaceable parts to allow substitution or replacement, cleaning, andmaintenance of any parts of the device, which provides heat adjustmentfor personalized the device for various levels of usage, and whichfavorably resembles on the exterior a normal smoking device.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention solves many of the problems of prior art devicesby providing an electronic pipe substitute smoking device which concealsthe atomizer or cartomizer cartridge within the substitute smokingdevice, which has a safety lock switch to prevent accidental activation,which uses a porous ceramic wick element and has no flammable componentsadjacent to the heating element thereby preventing toxic smoke, whichhas separable components housing removable and replaceable parts toallow substitution or replacement, cleaning, and maintenance of anyparts of the device, and which favorably resembles the exterior of anormal smoking device. The present invention utilizes the bowl of thepipe as an open battery chamber so that if the battery fails, theexpanding gas is released without containment thus avoiding any suddenpressure burst or fragmentation of any components. The open bowl alsoallows the battery to be easily removed and replaced. The presentinvention is provided with a power jack and a USB power cable that canbe plugged into an AC charger, a DC charger, or a USB port forrecharging the battery during use, for charging the device directly andby-passing the battery, for charging the battery while the device is notin use. In one embodiment a ceramic disc heating element provides alarge and uniform heat distribution on the surface of the porous ceramicwick and by changing the thickness of a ceramic base behind the ceramicdisk heating element, the distance between the ceramic disk heatingelement and the porous ceramic wick can be changed to allow the user toadjust the vapor production as desired. Alternately, an elongatedheating element, such as a heating coil, removably fits into a centralopening along the length of the ceramic wick.

This type cartridge allows a level of custom individual settings andperformance personalization of the vapor production nonexistent in anyprior art.

The porous ceramic atomized cartridge electronic pipe is an electronicvaporizing pipe smoking substitute comprising a wooden, plastic or metalsmoking pipe that has the exterior appearance of a normal tobacco pipebut has been configured and built to house inside the followingcomponents:

A power source: a low voltage battery 3.7V and 7.5V and with a capacitybetween 360 and 2200 mAh necessary to power the atomizing element;

An on/off momentary switch, or an automatic switch that controls theoperation of the porous ceramic atomized cartridge electronic pipe;

A new design porous ceramic atomized cartridge that contains the heatingelement and the liquid to be vaporized;

A 2.5 mm power jack that is used to recharge the battery from a USBpower source;

The battery is installed in tobacco camber of the pipe that has been cutto fit the battery's width and height;

At the bottom of the battery chamber a conical spring is connected tothe cartomizer connector and to the negative side of the power jack.

A switch mounted on the top edge of the battery chamber has a metalconductive swivel clip that secures the battery inside battery chamberand in the same time connects to the positive terminal of the battery.The other end of the switch is connected by wire to a metal tube thatholds the positive part of the porous ceramic porous ceramic atomizedcartridge connector.

The positive side of the power jack is permanently connected by wire tothe battery switch so if the porous ceramic atomized cartridgeelectronic pipe is connected to a USB power supply, it will charge thebattery whatever the pipe may be in use or not.

The porous ceramic atomized cartridge electronic pipe also has anautomatic version where the automatic electronic switch is positionedbehind the connector of the porous ceramic atomized cartridge inside theshank of the pipe.

The switch for the automatic porous ceramic atomized cartridgeelectronic pipe is a miniaturized electronic microphone switch,connected to the connector and battery. When the user of the pipe sucksair thru the mouthpiece the sound of the air rushing in the body of thepipe initiates a signal from the microphone switch and activates theheating element inside the porous ceramic atomized cartridge. Thisswitch is permanently connected by wire to the positive and negativesides of the battery.

The prior art atomized cartridge s has a number of design problems. Theheating coil element inside the cartridge is insulated from the rest ofthe wick material by a small fiberglass tube. When the cartridge has alow level of fluid inside the heating coil element will burn theisolation and will release potentially dangerous fumes and unpleasantburnt taste.

In order to eliminate this problem the current invention the porousceramic atomized cartridge has a porous ceramic tube placed around thelength of the heating Ni-Chrome heating coil element.

The porous ceramic material acts as a wick absorbing the liquid to bevaporized from the foam insert inside the cartridge and an in the sametime is an organically inert thermal insulator that will not producefumes and will isolate the rest of the cartridge components from theheat. Also prior art porous ceramic atomized cartridges have the heatingNi-Chrome heating coil element soldered inside the cartridge and if theNi-Chrome heating coil element fails the entire unit has to bediscarded.

The cartridge in the porous ceramic atomized cartridge electronic pipeIs designed without soldered connections inside the cartridge and if theNi-Chrome heating coil element fails the negative pin from the Ni-Chromeheating coil element can be simply removed and the Ni-Chrome heatingcoil element replaced.

The design of the present invention allows the cartridge to bedisassembled for periodical maintenance and cleaning between refills.Prior art does atomized cartridges cannot be maintained or cleaned.

The battery tube embodiment of the current invention allows the use ofan atomized cartridge and has a lock safe feature that eliminates theaccidental activation of the device while not in use. Momentary switchescan be easily unintentionally activated while in a purse or pocket. Thebattery tube embodiment of the current invention has a lock safe featuredesign specifically to eliminate accidental activation.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other details of the present invention will be described inconnection with the accompanying drawings, which are furnished only byway of illustration and not in limitation of the invention, and in whichdrawings:

FIG. 1 is an external perspective view and a longitudinal sectionedperspective view of the manual switch porous ceramic atomized cartridgeelectronic pipe of the according to a first example embodiment of thepresent invention;

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectioned exploded perspective view of themanual switch of the electronic pipe and the longitudinal sectionedperspective view of FIG. 1 from which the exploded view is taken;

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectioned exploded perspective view, anexterior perspective view, and an exploded perspective view of themanual switch of the porous ceramic atomized cartridge electronic pipeof the present invention;

FIG. 4 is an exterior perspective view and an exploded perspective viewof the pipe and battery and porous ceramic atomized cartridge of thepipe of the present invention and arrows showing steps for their removaland installation;

FIG. 5 is an external perspective view and a longitudinal sectionedperspective view of the manual switch porous ceramic atomized cartridgeelectronic pipe according to a second example embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 6 is a longitudinal sectioned exploded perspective view of themanual switch of the electronic pipe and the longitudinal sectionedperspective view of FIG. 5 from which the exploded view is taken showingan auto switch;

FIG. 7 is a longitudinal sectioned view, an exploded perspective view,and an exterior perspective view of the positive connector and theswivel clip of the porous ceramic atomized cartridge electronic pipe ofthe present invention;

FIG. 8 is an exterior perspective view and an exploded perspective viewof the pipe and battery and porous ceramic atomized cartridge of thepipe of FIG. 5 and arrows showing steps for their installation andremoval;

FIG. 9 is a longitudinal sectioned perspective view and an externalperspective view of the momentary push button switch in locked andunlocked positions;

FIG. 10 is an exterior perspective view, an exploded perspective view,an exploded longitudinal sectioned view of the of the battery tubeporous ceramic atomized cartridge and the manual momentary switch;

FIG. 11 is a series of three assembled longitudinal sectionedperspective views of the manual momentary switch in the secure lockedposition, the unlocked position, and the contact position according tothe second example embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 12 is an exploded perspective view of all of the components and anassembled longitudinal sectioned view of the porous ceramic atomizedcartridge of the present invention;

FIG. 13 is an exploded perspective view, an exploded longitudinalsectioned perspective view and an assembled longitudinal sectionedperspective view of the porous ceramic atomized cartridge connector tubeof the present invention;

FIG. 14 is an assembled longitudinal sectioned view, a reverseperspective exploded sectional view, and an exploded perspective view isan exploded view of the disk heater atomized cartridge of the presentinvention;

FIG. 14 a is a perspective longitudinal sectioned view, an exteriorreverse perspective view, and a perspective longitudinal sectional viewshowing air flow of the disk heater atomized cartridge tube of thepresent invention and detailed perspective and perspective longitudinalsectioned views of the components inside of the cartridge tube;

FIG. 14 b is an enlarged perspective longitudinal sectioned view of theassembled disk heater atomized cartridge tube showing airflow;

FIG. 15 is a diagrammatic longitudinal sectional view of the electricalcomponents and connections of the manual porous ceramic atomizedcartridge electronic pipe of the present invention with the manualbutton in the “on” position;

FIG. 16 is a diagrammatic longitudinal sectional view of the electricalcomponents and connections of the manual porous ceramic atomizedcartridge electronic pipe of the present invention with the manualbutton in the “off” position;

FIG. 17 is a diagrammatic longitudinal sectional view of the electricalcomponents and connection of the automatic version of the porous ceramicatomized cartridge electronic pipe of the present invention;

FIG. 18 is a perspective view and reverse perspective view of the DC USBpower supply plug and a perspective view and reverse perspective view ofthe AC USB power supply plug;

FIG. 19 is an exploded perspective view showing the procedure forrefilling the porous ceramic atomized electronic cartridge case;

FIG. 20 is an exploded perspective view showing the procedure forrefilling disk heater atomized cartridge case.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In FIGS. 1-20, the body of the porous ceramic atomized cartridgeelectronic pipe 1 and 1A is made from hardwood, plastic or metal. Themouthpiece 4 is preferably made from plastic. The manual pipe 1 of FIGS.1-4, and the automatic pipe 1A of FIGS. 5-8, each resemble a normaltobacco smoking pipe on the exterior. The interior of the pipe is custommanufactured with the dimension and compartments designed to fit allcomponents for each particular model (as shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 5).

The bowl of the pipe of the present invention, normally used as thetobacco chamber in tobacco pipes, in the present invention is a batterychamber housing the power source, a removable and replaceable Li-ionbattery 8 of low 3.7 V and a capacity between 360 and 2200 mAh or more.On the rim of both pipes are drilled cylindrical holes that house themanual positive connector switch 2 (as shown in FIG. 1) for the manualporous ceramic atomized cartridge electronic pipe and the positivebattery contact 2A for the automatic porous ceramic atomized cartridgeelectronic pipe (as shown in FIG. 5).

At the bottom of the battery chamber will be a spring 7 connected to thenegative pole of the porous ceramic atomized cartridge connector 4 andto the negative contact of the automatic switch 10 for the automaticelectronic pipe 1A. Both the positive battery contact, the manualpositive connector switch 2 will swivel sideways to allow the battery tobe inserted or retrieved (FIG. 4 and FIG. 8).

A manual porous ceramic atomized cartridge electronic pipe (FIG. 1) iscomposed of nine components: the body of pipe 1, a manual positiveswitch connector 2, a porous ceramic cartomizer cartridge 3, amouthpiece 4, a porous ceramic atomized cartridge connector 5, a DC 2.5mm power jack 6, a spring 7, and a battery 8.

In the manual version the porous ceramic atomized cartridge electronicpipe is equipped with a manual positive connector switch 2. Themouthpiece of the pipe 4 is a tube of frustoconical shape of a circularcross section tapering gradual to a blunt end. The connector tube 5(FIG. 11) is a metal tube with a threaded side containing an insulatedcylinder that holds a negative pin of the connector tube in the centerof the tube. The manual positive connector switch 2 (FIG. 3) is composedof four parts: a button with a long pin 13, a metal conductive swivelclip 11, a retaining nut 12 and a compression spring 4.

In FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, an exterior view and an exploded longitudinal 3 dview of the automatic porous ceramic atomized cartridge porous ceramicatomized cartridge electronic pipe show the interior compartments andthe position of the components.

In order to use the manual porous ceramic atomized cartridge electronicpipe user will draw out from the mouthpiece 4 while pressing on themomentary manual positive connector switch 2. The switch will activatepower to the Ni-Chrome heating coil element 19 inside the porous ceramicatomized cartridge 3 and the heat from the Ni-Chrome heating coilelement 19 will vaporize the liquid contained in the porous ceramicwick.

FIG. 4 shows that battery can be easily removed by rotating the metalconductive swivel clip 12 to the either side of the battery enough forthe battery to clear.

FIG. 4 also shows that in order to remove or install the porous ceramiccartomizer cartridge the only operation necessary is to pull or reinsertthe mouthpiece 4 which will expose or cover the porous ceramiccartomizer 3 that can be screwed or unscrewed in to the or out of theporous ceramic cartomizer cartridge connector 5.

In FIGS. 5 and 6, an automatic porous ceramic atomized cartridgeelectronic pipe is composed of the body of pipe 1, automatic positiveconnector 2A, a porous ceramic cartomizer cartridge 3, a mouthpiece 4, aporous ceramic atomized cartridge connector 5, an automatic switch 10, aDC 2.5 mm power jack 6, a spring 7, and a battery 8.

In FIG. 5 and FIG. 6, an exterior view and an exploded longitudinal 3 dview of the automatic porous ceramic atomized cartridge porous ceramicatomized cartridge electronic pipe that show the interior compartmentsand the position of the components.

The automatic switch 10 is activated (switching on the Ni-Chrome heatingcoil element) by airflow caused by the user sucking on the mouthpiece.

When the user will draw out from the mouthpiece 4 the suction will rushair on the sides of a mini microphone 10. The airflow generated soundthen will activate an electronic switch that will allow power to theNi-Chrome heating coil element 19 of the porous ceramic atomizedcartridge. The heat from the Ni-Chrome heating coil element 19 willvaporize the liquid on the surrounding interior wall of the porousceramic wick 1 21. The suction will also mix the vaporized liquid withthe fresh air drawn thru.

On the automatic porous ceramic atomized cartridge electronic pipe 1A,shown in FIGS. 5-8, the simple act of suction will activate the porousceramic atomized cartridge.

In FIG. 7 are longitudinal sections, an exterior view and an explodedlongitudinal 3 d view of the automatic positive connector composed froma metal conductive swivel clip 12, retaining nut 15.

FIG. 8 shows that battery can be easily removed by rotating the metalconductive swivel clip 12 to the either side of the battery enough forthe battery to clear.

Also FIG. 8 shows that in order to remove or install the porous ceramiccartomizer cartridge 3 pull or reinsert the mouthpiece 4 that willexpose or cover the porous ceramic cartomizer cartridge 3 ready to screwor unscrew in to or out of the porous ceramic cartomizer cartridgeconnector 5 secured inside the shank of the pipe body 1.

Prior art atomized cartridges have the heating element soldered insidethe cartridge and is insulated from the foam inside by absorbent paperaround the Ni-Chrome heating coil element and small fiberglass tubes.Because the high temperature reaches by the Ni-Chrome heating coilelement the paper and the fiberglass tubes will burn producing a burnttaste. Also all the component of the cartridge will heat up withcontinuous periods of usage.

This new design porous ceramic atomized cartridge electronic pipe uses aporous ceramic atomized cartridge in FIG. 13 which has been designedspecifically to eliminate prior art problems. The new porous ceramicatomized cartridge 3 is composed of the fallowing parts: Cartridge Pin16, Insolating rubber gasket 17, Cartridge Cap 18, Ni-Chrome HeatingCoil 19, Silicone Seal 20, Porous Ceramic Wick 21, Cartridge tube 22 andReservoir Cap 23.

Prior art atomized cartridges are disposable because maintenance of theunit is not possible. If the heating coil element will burn the unit isunusable. The new porous ceramic atomized cartridge 3 has been designedspecifically to ensure an easy maintenance and a simple replacementprocedure of the Ni-Chrome heating coil element.

When the user draws from the mouthpiece and the circuit is activated airis draw thru the Cartridge Pin 16 the heated Ni-Chrome heating coilelement 19 where it will be mixed with the vaporized e-liquid insidePorous Ceramic Wick 21, thru the Reservoir Cap 23 in to the mouthpiece4.

In FIG. 14, the connector tube 5 has a thread in which the new porousceramic atomized cartridge is screwed in. The connector insulator gasket24 will also hold the contact pin 25. For the automatic porous ceramicatomized cartridge electronic pipe the connector tube 5 also houses theelectronic automatic switch 9.

The porous ceramic atomized cartridge 3 is structured to be refilledwith the liquid. In order to refill the porous ceramic atomizedcartridge, the mouthpiece 4 is pulled from the main body of the pipe 1,the porous ceramic atomized cartridge 3 is unscrewed counter-clockwise,the rubber cap and the negative pin are removed and the liquid is added.Once the cartridge tube 22 is filled with liquid the reservoir cap 23has to been place back as showed in FIG. 19. After the refilling processis completed the porous ceramic atomized cartridge is screwed clockwisein the porous ceramic atomized cartridge connector 5 and the mouthpiece4 pushed back into the body of the pipe 1.

The present invention has a power jack 6 and a USB power cable 9 thatcan be plugged in a AC charger, a DC charger or a USB port. This newfeature does not exist with any prior art electronic smoking-substitutedevices. In prior art electronic smoking-substitute devices, the batteryhas to be removed and recharge or the device has to be disassembled andconnected to a charger making the device unusable during the rechargeprocess. The present invention can be used while the battery is beingrecharged which makes the device a more practical, efficient and morereliable than any prior art.

The present invention can be also be used without the battery using theUSB cable 9 alone and a USB power source like a USB plug of a laptop, aUSB plug desktop, a power USB hub, a wall AC USB port, a DC USB port(car cigarette lighter socket) or an external battery pack equipped withan USB power port.

Prior art pipes use a plastic cap with a metal border that is screwed tothe top of the battery chamber. Prior art does not have any pressurerelive space In case the battery fails. The rapid expending gas from thefailed battery can create a pressure that can rapidly build up toinstant shatter of the plastic cap and transform it in plastic shrapnelthat can be very dangerous to the user.

In the present invention such an occurrence is not possible because ofthe open design of the battery chamber. If battery fails the expandinggas is released without containment thus avoiding any sudden pressureburst or fragmentation of any components.

In this second cartridge embodiment FIG. 13 and 13 a of the invention iscomprised of the following components: a retaining ring 31, a contactpin (25), a retaining screw 15, a ceramic base 30, ceramic disk heatingelement (26), a porous ceramic wick 2 (27), a cartridge tube (21), a oneway silicone air valve (29), a cartridge cap (22), and a mouthpiece(31).

In this second cartridge embodiment the cartridge is designed to use aceramic disk heating element. The ceramic disk heating element is anelectro thermal ceramic heater. The heat circuit embeds into aluminaceramic disk bodies.

In this embodiment of the invention FIG. 11 c air enters thru the centerof the contact pin (25) and exits thru the mouthpiece mixed with vapor.The cartridge cap (22) has a hole between the center and the side of thecap. A one way silicone air valve (29) allows the air to enter thereservoir chamber when suction is produced true the mouthpiece. Thiswill allow small quantities of vaporizing liquid to transfer in to theporous ceramic in order to maintain its entire surface wet. This waywith every drag the wick will be able to absorb just the necessaryamount of liquid to be vaporized in the next cycle.

The advantage of this embodiment is that the ceramic heating element hasa large and uniform heat distribution on the surface of the porousceramic wick. Also by changing the thickness of ceramic base 30, behindthe ceramic disk heating element (26), the distance between ceramic diskheating element (26) and the porous ceramic wick 2 (27) can be changed,the increased or decreased distance will allow the user to adjust thevapor production. The vapor density is increased when the distancebetween the ceramic disk heating element (26) and the porous ceramicwick 2 (27) is decreased.

This type cartridge allows a level of custom individual settings andperformance personalization of the vapor production nonexistent in anyprior art.

This embodiment of the cartridge can be disassembled with ease forperiodical maintenance and cleaning between refills.

The ceramic disk heater is designed with the specific purpose that therewill be no component that would produce any type of toxic gas due to thehigh temperature in the immediate vicinity of the heating element.

The porous ceramic wick and ceramic disk heater are the two elementsthat are exposed to the highest temperature inside the cartridge and theproduction steps necessary to fabricate these too particular pars(involving baking them at well over 2000 degrees), by definitioneliminate the possibility of toxic fumes during the usage of thecartridge

A third embodiment of the invention (FIG. 10) uses the same cartridgesas the pipe but with a different battery enclosure and a differentMomentary Push Button Switch.

This embodiment is composed of a Battery Tube 40 made of food gradematerial that is designed to hold variety different sized of batteriesand at one end and a Momentary Push Button Switch designed with a buildin safety lock that will prevent accidental activation of the devicewhile not in use. A thread to the other end of the Battery Tube willallow the user to connect a porous ceramic atomized cartridge or aceramic disk cartridge.

The battery tube embodiment of this invention (FIG. 10) the device iscomposed of the fallowing elements: a switch button 34, a set of threerare earth ring magnets 35 arranged in opposite direction, a switchenclosure 36, a plastic bushing 37, a retaining ring 38, a negative pin39, and a battery tube 40.

In FIG. 11 is a longitudinal section of the momentary push button switchin looked, unlooked and contact positions. Two of the three rare earthring magnets 35 oppose a third one placed in opposition with the othertwo acting like a spring. The benefit of the magnetic spring likearrangement is that unlike a conventional compression spring they have amuch longer life and a smoother and more comfortable operation.

FIG. 9 shows that in order to secure the push button when the device isnot in use the button has been designed with a thread at its base thatwill be easy screwed by hand in to the tread of the switch enclosure 36

It is understood that the preceding description is given merely by wayof illustration and not in limitation of the invention and that variousmodifications may be made thereto without departing from the spirit ofthe invention as claimed.

What is claimed is:
 1. An electronic smoking substitute devicecomprising: a body for use in substitute smoking, the body comprisingseparable components and having at least one concealed internal chambernot visible when the components are assembled for use; a replaceableporous ceramic atomized cartridge removably housed within the body inthe at least one concealed internal chamber and concealed from externalview therein, the cartridge housing a refillable reservoir containing aliquid to be vaporized; a porous ceramic wick of a cylindrical formpositioned inside the cartridge, the wick positioned adjacent to thereservoir in communication with the liquid contained therein to receivethe liquid in the wick; a heating element positioned in contact with theporous ceramic wick for heating the wick to vaporize the liquid into anvapor to be breathed in by a user, the heating element being isolatedfrom flammable materials; the cartridge being removable from thedisassembled body for cleaning, refilling, replacing, and maintenance; avapor conduit leading out of the body to transmit the vapor to a user; apower supply to provide power to the heating element; at least onecharging port for the power supply to enable charging of the powersupply when the device is in use and when the device is not in use; alock safe switch to activate and de-activate the heating element andprevent accidental activation.
 2. The device of claim 1 wherein the atleast one charging port comprises a port to receive a plug for a USBpower cord to recharge the power supply and further comprising adetachable USB power cord.
 3. The device of claim 2 wherein thedetachable USB power cord powers the heating element directly without apower supply present in the body.
 4. The device of claim 1 wherein thepower supply comprises a replaceable rechargeable battery.
 5. The deviceof claim 1 wherein the heating element comprises a ceramic disk heatingelement inside the atomized cartridge.
 6. The device of claim 5 furthercomprising a ceramic base behind the ceramic disk heating element toadjust the distance between the ceramic disk heating element and theporous ceramic wick to adjust the vapor production.
 7. The device ofclaim 1 wherein the heating element comprises an elongated heatingelement inside the ceramic wick.
 8. The device of claim 1 wherein thebody is formed from at least one material taken from the list ofmaterials including wood, metal, and plastic.
 9. The device of claim 1further comprising a manual push switch on the surface of the body formanually activating the porous ceramic atomized cartridge to produce thevapor.
 10. The device of claim 1 further comprising an automaticelectronic switch inside the body activated by the sound of suctionedair for automatically activating the heater of the porous ceramicatomized cartridge to produce the vapor.
 11. The device of claim 1wherein the body is fabricated in the shape of a smoking pipe having abowl forming an open battery chamber housing a rechargeable battery toallow any battery fumes to escape and a stem extending from the bowl,the stem housing the removable and replaceable porous ceramic atomizedcartridge concealed within the stem, wherein the end of the stemcomprises a mouthpiece and the conduit comprises an opening through themouthpiece from the end of the stem extending into the stem incommunication with the cartridge.
 12. The device of claim 11 wherein thelock safe switch comprises an electrically conductive pivot arm contactpivotally attached to a top rim of the bowl to swivel between a firstposition in contact with an end of the battery to provide a charge forthe device and a second position in contact only with the rim of thebowl out of contact with the end of the battery to provide no charge tothe device so that the device cannot be activated accidentally.
 13. Anelectronic smoking substitute pipe device comprising: a pipe body foruse in substitute smoking, the pipe body comprising an upright bowlforming an open battery chamber housing a removable rechargeable batteryto allow any battery fumes to escape, a stem extending horizontally fromthe bowl, and a mouthpiece removably attached to the stem, the stemhaving at least one concealed internal chamber not visible when thecomponents are assembled for use; a replaceable porous ceramic atomizedcartridge removably housed within the at least one concealed internalchamber of the stem, the cartridge concealed from external view therein,the cartridge housing a refillable reservoir containing a liquid to bevaporized; a porous ceramic wick of a cylindrical form positioned insidethe cartridge, the wick positioned adjacent to the reservoir incommunication with the liquid contained therein to receive the liquid inthe wick; a heating element positioned in contact with the porousceramic wick for heating the wick to vaporize the liquid into an vaporto be breathed in by a user, the heating element being isolated fromflammable materials, the heating element communicating with the batteryto receive power for the heating element from the battery; the cartridgebeing removable from the disassembled body for cleaning, refilling,replacing, and maintenance; a vapor conduit through the mouthpiece fromthe end of the mouthpiece extending into the stem in communication withthe cartridge to transmit the vapor to a user; at least one chargingport for the power supply to enable charging of the battery when thedevice is in use and when the device is not in use; a lock safe switchto activate and de-activate the heating element and prevent accidentalactivation.
 14. The device of claim 13 wherein the lock safe switchcomprises an electrically conductive pivot arm contact pivotallyattached to a top rim of the bowl to swivel between a first position incontact with an end of the battery to provide a charge for the deviceand a second position in contact only with the rim of the bowl out ofcontact with the end of the battery to provide no charge to the deviceso that the device cannot be activated accidentally.
 15. The device ofclaim 13 wherein the at least one charging port comprises a port toreceive a plug for a USB power cord to recharge the battery and furthercomprising a detachable USB power cord, the detachable USB power cordpowering the heating element directly without a power supply present inthe body.
 16. The device of claim 13 wherein the heating elementcomprises a ceramic disk heating element inside the atomized cartridge,and further comprising a ceramic base behind the ceramic disk heatingelement to adjust the distance between the ceramic disk heating elementand the porous ceramic wick to adjust the vapor production.
 17. Thedevice of claim 13 wherein the heating element comprises an elongatedheating element inside the ceramic wick.
 18. The device of claim 13wherein the pipe body is formed from at least one material taken fromthe list of materials including wood, metal, and plastic.
 19. The deviceof claim 13 further comprising a manual push switch on the surface ofthe pipe body used for manually activating the porous ceramic atomizedcartridge to produce the vapor.
 20. The device of claim 13 furthercomprising an automatic electronic switch inside the body activated bythe sound of suctioned air for automatically activating the heater ofthe porous ceramic atomized cartridge to produce the vapor.